# Tampa Sweethearts vs Flor de Ybor cigars



## craigchilds (Jan 20, 2006)

According to this site http://cigars.about.com/library/weekly/aa040901a.htm, Tampa Sweetheart cigars are short/medium filler seconds from the A. Fuente factory in the DR. The long-filler seconds are called Flor de Ybor cigars.

But according to CBid.com, Tampa Sweethearts are long filler.http://www.cigarbid.com/auction/lot.cfm?lotID=327070

Does anybody know which description is correct? Tampa Sweethearts are pretty cheap to be long-filler, even though they are seconds.

More importantly, has anybody ever smoked a Tampa Sweetheart? Did it burn well? Are they worth trying?


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## catfishm2 (Nov 6, 2004)

Some of the Tampa Sweethearts are long filler and some are short.

Long Filler

#4
#50
#85
#88
#108
#150
#270
#280
#380
#490
#500
#520

Short Filler

#24
#32
#185

I was told by the people that work there, that they are apprentice rolled cigars. I've only had the #500 and yes they are very good IMO.


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## RPB67 (Mar 26, 2005)

I never knew that they were actually Fuente seconds. I thought they were just rolled by them and are their house brand.

I have seen this discussed on CF before as well.


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## floydp (Jun 6, 2004)

I smoke more than a bundle a month of Tampa Sweethearts, I've yet to have a bad one. Even got Anita smoking them here lately. I've had a few Flor de Ybor,thanks to Skip and like them very much as well. I opt for the cheaper price on the sweethearts. It was my thinking that they both are long filler, but I really have no idea. I stopped worrying about that stuff and smoke what I like. 

Burn and draw have been quite consistant on all the sweethearts. Mark(catfish) got me going on them several months ago, when he sent me 5 to try. He had one that was plugged. He knew we were working on pokers, so he thought maybe one of the 5 might be plugged as well so we could test out the poker. None even had a tight draw. I really like the sweet maduro flavor of the sweethearts. To make a long story short, I'm on my 4th bundle with no plans on slowing down. My favorite bundled smoke. Just my :2


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## floydp (Jun 6, 2004)

catfishm2 said:


> Some of the Tampa Sweethearts are long filler and some are short.
> 
> Long Filler
> 
> ...


:tpd: What the fish head said.. We talk about these cigars a couple times a week on the phone. :r


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## Andyman (Jun 8, 2004)

Flor De Ybor are long filler Fuentes where apprentice rollers get an oppurtnity learn their trade. I gave some out as Christmas presents. I got good feedback on the Maduros.. Not so much on the natural.


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## craigchilds (Jan 20, 2006)

Thanks for the info! 

I don't really care whether a cigar is long or short-filler except that I usually have burn problems with short-filler cigars. Specifically, I've had bad burn problems with Fuente Curly Head and Mister B's bundled cigars. The only sandwich cigars that never gave me burn problems was Riatas, but I wasn't really impressed with their taste -- just a very average stick, I guess.

I've only smoked seconds a few times and they were always hit-or-miss. A few Consuegras would be really, really good -- and then the next five would be bland and boring. 

But based on what I'm reading here, I may try the Tampa Sweethearts and see what I think.


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## drevim (Dec 21, 2005)

floydp said:


> I smoke more than a bundle a month of Tampa Sweethearts, I've yet to have a bad one. Even got Anita smoking them here lately. I've had a few Flor de Ybor,thanks to Skip and like them very much as well. I opt for the cheaper price on the sweethearts. It was my thinking that they both are long filler, but I really have no idea. I stopped worrying about that stuff and smoke what I like.
> 
> Burn and draw have been quite consistant on all the sweethearts. Mark(catfish) got me going on them several months ago, when he sent me 5 to try. He had one that was plugged. He knew we were working on pokers, so he thought maybe one of the 5 might be plugged as well so we could test out the poker. None even had a tight draw. I really like the sweet maduro flavor of the sweethearts. To make a long story short, I'm on my 4th bundle with no plans on slowing down. My favorite bundled smoke. Just my :2


Good to know, Frank. I am planning an order to TS, and was wondering what to spend my $25+ up front, so I could take advantage of the 2 each of the rare sticks deal.

Which number do you like? Looks like from Catfish's post they have a large number. I'm sure it is each individual's choice as far as size, but I'd like to try a tested one first, before getting too adventurous.


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## El Gato (Apr 2, 2003)

The web site for the company explains that Tampa Sweethearts are not made with the same premium tobacco as Fuente, Montesino, etc.
Check it out at http://tampasweetheart.com
I've had the sungrown pyramid, (Ybor blend) the wrapper was very light for a sungrown and didn't look at all like the regular Fuente sungrowns. I think I may have been sent the natural wrapper by mistake. Still, it is a very good cigar.


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

The Ybor Sungrowns are usually pretty light in color. I suspect the leaf that doesn't get dark enough for the other Sungrown Fuente products is sent to these. They have the flavor though, so I don't care too much about it.



El Gato said:


> I think I may have been sent the natural wrapper by mistake. Still, it is a very good cigar.


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## opus (Jun 21, 2005)

Tampa sweethearts are not rolled with any Fuente tobacco. That is the official stand, I have had insider's tell me that they do use leftover Fuente tobacco. I think they use whatever doesn't make the cut for regular production. The tobacco seems very consistent in flavor. They are rolled by apprentice rollers, or so I have been told. Ybor city cigars are pretty darn good. I have no idea what tobacco is used for them or who rolls them, but they seem to be on a level above the Tamps Sweethearts.:2


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## iowapiper_rcp (Jan 29, 2006)

I personally LOVE the tampa sweethearts. Very good and consisten cigar, and sure as hell cant beat the price for a bundle!


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## Andyman (Jun 8, 2004)

drevim said:


> Good to know, Frank. I am planning an order to TS, and was wondering what to spend my $25+ up front, so I could take advantage of the 2 each of the rare sticks deal.
> 
> Which number do you like? Looks like from Catfish's post they have a large number. I'm sure it is each individual's choice as far as size, but I'd like to try a tested one first, before getting too adventurous.


They have Fuente Samplers at below retail for $16.95 They come in Maduro too. can't go wrong with that.


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## floydp (Jun 6, 2004)

drevim said:


> Good to know, Frank. I am planning an order to TS, and was wondering what to spend my $25+ up front, so I could take advantage of the 2 each of the rare sticks deal.
> 
> Which number do you like? Looks like from Catfish's post they have a large number. I'm sure it is each individual's choice as far as size, but I'd like to try a tested one first, before getting too adventurous.


I've only had the 500 maduros Ian. I likem so much that haven't even considered the others. Mark's gonna try a different size next time he orders, and of course I'm gonna mooch a few off him to try..:r


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## sspolv (Dec 26, 2005)

These sound pretty good. I might have to pick up a bundle or two on Cbid or from their website. Thanks for the info, guys.


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## floydp (Jun 6, 2004)

sspolv said:


> These sound pretty good. I might have to pick up a bundle or two on Cbid or from their website. Thanks for the info, guys.


Cbid is usually higher than the TS site. I've been checking the devil and the bid usually goes higher than you can get them from the TS site. :2


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## drevim (Dec 21, 2005)

floydp said:


> I've only had the 500 maduros Ian. I likem so much that haven't even considered the others. Mark's gonna try a different size next time he orders, and of course I'm gonna mooch a few off him to try..:r


Sounds good, Frank. I'd be tempted to try the 50 and the 280 as well, same ring gauge, little longer stick. Although the 500 is the perfect "to work" stick size, plus I LOVE the maduro right now.


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## drevim (Dec 21, 2005)

Andyman said:


> They have Fuente Samplers at below retail for $16.95 They come in Maduro too. can't go wrong with that.


Trust me, bro. I've been eyeing these since I first got on their site. I'm on a major Fuente bender right now, and that price, like most of their prices, is great.


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## RumblePen (May 17, 2005)

txmatt said:


> The Ybor Sungrowns are usually pretty light in color. I suspect the leaf that doesn't get dark enough for the other Sungrown Fuente products is sent to these. They have the flavor though, so I don't care too much about it.


They've got a second that matches a fuente sungrown cuban belicoso in flavor? If so, where's the cheapest place I can buy them?


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## G-Man (Feb 20, 2004)

RumblePen said:


> They've got a second that matches a fuente sungrown cuban belicoso in flavor? If so, where's the cheapest place I can buy them?


The Beli in Sungrown is pretty good. I enjoy it regularly......

http://tampasweetheart.com/?page=shop/browse&category_id=55f77c853ea78762a663ffffa93b3fb3&PHPSESSID=e1c5041d9736644e0c6655957f0fdf7c


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

RumblePen said:


> They've got a second that matches a fuente sungrown cuban belicoso in flavor? If so, where's the cheapest place I can buy them?


:sb *YBORS AREN'T SECONDS*  :r

The flavor isn't the same as either the Fuente SG Cuban Beli, it isn't the same as the Montesino SG Beli either. Fuente insists these aren't seconds; I gotta agree because they don't taste the same as either; it is not like they clipped off 1/2 an inch to disguise the cigar it was intended to be - the blend is different.

When buying Ybors you REALLY need to give them 2 to 3 months time out, they don't get much or any time to age in the factory would be my guess. Once they have aged a bit though they are high quality, well constructed smokes at 1/2 the price of other Fuente made sungrowns.

-Matt-


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## opus (Jun 21, 2005)

txmatt said:


> :sb *YBORS AREN'T SECONDS*  :r
> 
> The flavor isn't the same as either the Fuente SG Cuban Beli, it isn't the same as the Montesino SG Beli either. Fuente insists these aren't seconds; I gotta agree because they don't taste the same as either; it is not like they clipped off 1/2 an inch to disguise the cigar it was intended to be - the blend is different.
> 
> ...


:tpd: Not seconds at all. They are well constructed tasty long filler bundle cigars. They are so good I even hesitate to call them bundle cigars.:2


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## kansashat (Mar 13, 2004)

This brings up something I noticed earlier in this thread. Short, or mixed filler, cigars are not seconds either. By definition, a second is a cigar that did not make the cut for whatever reason......wrapper flaws, soft spots, etc.

Any cigar that doesn't make it through an inspection process is a second, or a total reject, whether it is long or mixed filler.

Short & mixed filler cigars are made that way on purpose.


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## VoteKinky06 (Jan 7, 2006)

RPB67 said:


> I never knew that they were actually Fuente seconds. I thought they were just rolled by them and are their house brand.
> 
> I have seen this discussed on CF before as well.


On the cigar family website there is a whole letter from the fuente company stating that there is no such thing as fuente seconds and if someone tells you they have fuente seconds they are lying. Figured this was reliable since it came straight from the cigar family website.


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## osamakilla (Nov 24, 2017)

VoteKinky06 said:


> On the cigar family website there is a whole letter from the fuente company stating that there is no such thing as fuente seconds and if someone tells you they have fuente seconds they are lying. Figured this was reliable since it came straight from the cigar family website.


These are almost identical to the real Fuentes ive bought. Just rolled by new rollers in training is what Mr. Fuente Jr. Told me. But it is all Fuente tobacco.


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